Don’t Expect Pakistan to Host US Military Bases
As Washington looks for options post-Afghanistan withdrawal, Islamabad isn’t going to roll out the red carpet.
By Syed Ali Zia Jaffery
June 10, 2021
Washington is looking to maintain a counterterrorism infrastructure in the region following its withdrawal from Afghanistan. Officials from both sides, including U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, confirmed that Pakistan and the U.S. have held talks on the matter. While Sullivan stressed that discussions have been constructive, Pakistani interlocutors have ostensibly refused to host drone bases for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
In response to a flurry of speculations regarding the prospect of Islamabad giving military bases to the United States, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi categorically stated Pakistan would not give any military base to the United States. He went on to say Pakistan would look after its own interests, indicating that granting basing rights to the U.S. is not considered advantageous.
https://thediplomat.com/2021/06/dont-expect-pakistan-to-host-us-military-bases/
